


Distant Cousins

by Sarek and Amanda Archive Maintainer (Selek)



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Jaxomride
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-21
Updated: 2013-03-21
Packaged: 2017-12-06 01:06:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/729919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selek/pseuds/Sarek%20and%20Amanda%20Archive%20Maintainer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sarek makes a proposal to a very old family member.</p><p>Written by Jaxomride.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Distant Cousins

Title: Distant Cousins  
Author: Jaxomsride  
Fandom: Star Trek AOS  
Rating: Gen  
Word Count: 2300  
Notes: Story written for the "expelled from the Nebula" challenge  
Summary: Sarek makes a proposal to a very old family member.

Disclaimer: Paramount Own Star Trek, I'm Just borrowing Sarek and Their  
universe.

 

The small research craft hung grimly to the tail of the ion storm as it swept through the sector of space close to the Neutral Zone. Their sensitive instruments busily recorded each rise and fall in the patterns of magnetic flux the storm generated. They were the first to detect the sleek silver craft as it was expelled from the nebula.

XXXXX

"Ambassador Sarek it was good of you to come." The human stepped forward, his hand outstretched in greeting. Sarek raised an eyebrow as he glanced meaningfully at the proffered hand, his own hands remained tucked into his sleeves.

"I am sorry, I forgot." Commodore Brewster coloured slightly, clearly embarrassed to have committed such a social gaffe. He snatched his hand back. "Er, if you'd come this way. Our guests are currently in the quarantine section."

"Quarantine, Commodore? For what reason?" Sarek studied the man coolly.

"Well, putting them in the brig seemed a mite unfriendly. However I couldn't have them running around the base either."

"Logical." Sarek nodded.

 

Commodore Brewster eyed him uncertainly. Was that disapproval? You never could tell with Vulcans. They continued on in silence. Sarek was relieved at this. The majority of humans he had encountered tended to think a silence had to be filled with meaningless chatter.

XXXXXX

Sarek studied the video feed from the quarantine area. He realised he was, in a sense, looking back into history. Silver armour gleamed against pale green skin. Six tall figures clustered around the smaller one, as if protecting her. Although she looked hardly more than a child, her eyes held a wisdom and a burden of knowledge far beyond her apparent years. As if sensing his presence behind the pick up, she gazed at the security monitor and raised an eyebrow. Sarek blinked as he sensed a mind brushing lightly against his shields.

"Commodore, once your medical staff has ascertained that the quarantine is indeed unnecessary, I would wish to speak with their leader in person."

"Ah, yes I'll see what can be arranged." The commodore frowned. "But are you sure that that's a good idea? I mean weren't your people savages then?"

"No more so than your own ancestors were, Commodore," Sarek replied evenly.

"Harrumph!" The commodore crossed over to the intercom. "Well I wouldn't expect to find mine frozen in the depths of space either."

"It would have been even more unusual to encounter a human colony ship of the same vintage." Sarek studied the screen again.

The commodore frowned was the ambassador rebuking him or stating a simple fact? He was beginning to think he preferred the ancestral version of Vulcans better, at least you could read what they were thinking, unlike their modern counterparts!

XXXXXXX

Sarek stood as she entered the room. She paused briefly on the threshold as she saw him. An eyebrow raised slightly as an expression of surprise flitted across her features. Her eyes were dark, almost as black as the long hair that was piled high on her head in an elaborate style. Although among the warriors she had seemed frail and childlike, alone she was clearly an adult. The shimmering silver robe she wore outlined the figure of a mature woman. "You are the one I sensed." Her voice was soft and lilting.

"Yes, my name is Sarek." Sarek bowed slightly. "I must commend you on your Standard; the pronunciation is flawless."

"It was easy to learn." She shrugged nonchalantly. "I am called Talera, though no doubt the commodore has already informed you of that fact."

She circled the table in the small briefing room to stand directly in front of him. She moved with the grace and elegance of a hunting lematya. Her vibrant, dark eyes caught his, drawing him into their glittering depths. Sarek hastily firmed his shields as he felt a gentle push against his mind.

"We could converse in Vulcan if you prefer." She smiled slightly. "Although that may inconvenience the humans monitoring us."

Sarek raised an eyebrow. Logically, he was not surprised that she was aware their conversation was being observed. However, he had not expected her to reveal the fact that she knew so frankly.

"For the convenience of our, observers, I am content to continue in Standard." Sarek bowed slightly to her. "Will you not be seated?"

"Only if you do so as well." She laughed slightly. "I'd get a dreadful crick in my neck if you remained standing."

Even seated, she still had to look up to him. Sarek found himself leaning forward slightly in order to minimise their disparity in heights. For a Vulcan she was tiny, smaller even than T'Pau.

"It is strange to think so much time has passed," she murmured softly. "So much has changed while we slept. So tell me, what is Vulcan like now?"

Sarek was unprepared for his response to such a simple question. Indeed one he should have expected from her. He struggled to control the grief that rocked him as he tried to marshal his thoughts and control. How would he explain the destruction of their world?

"Vulcan is gone!" she breathed, her eyes wide with shock.

Sarek closed his eyes as he tried to master his emotions. He had not realised he had broadcast beyond his own shields. Yet she had clearly heard him. The touch of her hand against his cheek was like a cool breeze in the midst of the desert heat, easing his mental turmoil. Sarek's eyes flew open in surprise to find her gaze mere inches from his own.

"Tushah nash-veh k'du, Sarek,"* Talera murmured. For a moment Sarek could sense that the words, instead of being a polite ritual phrase, were literally true. She too mourned, for her Vulcan was gone as surely as his. She released him and the brief, intimate contact of minds was broken. Sarek drew in a breath, feeling suddenly bereft as she moved away.

"So, what Surak feared finally did come to pass." She sighed. "Though I doubt my father would feel any sense of satisfaction that he was right."

Sarek's eyebrow climbed his forehead. "Surak was your father?"

"Yes." Talera's dark eyes sparkled briefly with laughter. "Oh don't tell me they expunged the fact that his own daughter refuted some of his teachings?"

"It was never mentioned in the histories, no," Sarek replied. He considered her for a moment. "In a sense then, we are related for I am of House Surak."

"I did wonder." Her hand indicated the symbols emblazoned on his robes. "One of those is our house sigil after all. So, cousin, why are you here?"

"To speak with you," Sarek answered. "Vulcans are much reduced in number. It has become my mission to find as many of our people as I can who would wish to help save our race from extinction."

"And you think that we would wish to return to a world that is ruled by Surak's teachings?" Her eyebrow rose in surprise.

"You will find much has changed in the intervening millennia."

"But for better or worse, Sarek?" She shook her head. "My people left because we couldn't and wouldn't become what Surak wished us to be. To us, it has only been a short time since we left!"

"I understand that." Sarek nodded. "However all I ask is that you listen. The choice however, is yours to make."

"What, no bombardment of logic to convince us that our way is not The Way?" Her lips twitched in amusement. "If that is true, then you are indeed right, much has changed."

"Surak himself extolled the virtue of IDIC." Sarek frowned slightly. "Are you saying you didn't have a choice?"

"My father and I did not see eye to eye on many things. I thought his desire to expunge all emotion was as extreme as the ones who refused to embrace logic. He viewed my logic as flawed as I believed there was a place for emotion in our philosophy." She cocked her head to one side and eyed Sarek, a slight smile on her face. "Is there a place, do you think for a Vulcan who does not view a display of emotion as anathema?"

"Since our exploration of space has brought us into contact with many beings who do display their emotions, I think you may find we have become more tolerant of such," Sarek assured her.

"Really?" Talera straightened in her chair. "This will require much thought and discussion among my people. Starfleet assures us they can find us a world to colonise. For some reason they seem reluctant to allow us to simply repair our ship and continue our own journey."

Sarek considered her thoughtfully, wondering just how much Talera had picked up from the humans on the Starbase. Was she aware of how close they were to the Neutral Zone and what lay beyond? The Romulans, when they arrived at their new worlds, had sought to eradicate any with mind gifts as strong as hers. Now, however, it was rumoured they sought them out actively. If Talera and her followers did indeed continue their journey, the most likely outcome of that, would be their capture and subjugation by the Romulans. Yes, Sarek could fully understand Starfleet's reluctance to allow that to happen, both for the sake of her people and the security of the Federation.

"Your craft has withstood the passage of time remarkably well," Sarek answered. "However it is unlikely to survive the rigours of a long journey and the local area of space contains significant hazards."

"Well that is a more honest, if diplomatic answer than the commodore gave me." She fixed him with a level stare "So tell me Sarek, who and what are Romulans?"

Sarek studied her for a long moment. Evidently she had gleaned enough to be curious. "They are the descendants of Vulcans who, like you, refused to accept the teachings of Surak. It was a Romulan who was responsible for the destruction of Vulcan."

"You fear we may join forces with them?" She frowned darkly, half rising from her seat. "Ours is still a path of peace. Even though we do wear armour, we are not bloodthirsty warriors."

"No, I am afraid, however, that they might not give you a choice," Sarek replied calmly.

"Ah!" She sank back into her chair, her anger draining from her face. "Forgive me, Sarek. You are right, our craft would not be much of a match against theirs. It was never intended as anything other than a colony ship."

"I would advise you to accept Starfleet's offer of transport. Where you choose to go, however, is up to you. I am sure though, our archaeologists would like the opportunity to study your craft."

"I am certain they would." A laugh escaped her lips. "Though it does seem odd to hear what we thought of as the leading edge of our technology being described as a museum piece."

"Indeed." Sarek nodded gravely. "It will take time for your people to adjust. You are more than welcome to visit Rish-tor**. You can then decide if you wish to remain, or find your own world.”

"Yes, it would be more logical to see if modern Vulcans are more accepting than their ancient counterparts." She smiled at him. "After all we could always leave again, if we cannot get on."

"If most are like you, I am sure the task will not prove beyond us," Sarek assured her.

 

* "I grieve with thee"  
** survive, persevere in spite of trauma


End file.
